228 I\ Stoliczka — Mammals and Birds inhabiting Kachh. [No. 3, 



mon enough, and some very much resemble in structure and colour the 

 wild dog (Cuon rut Hans), but I have not heard of the occurrence of this 

 latter in a wild state. 



Both the Indian and the desert fox, Vulpes iengalensis and leucopus, the 

 latter generally called the silver-tailed fox, occur ; the former I have shot only 

 in the north-eastern districts, but the latter appears to be more generally 

 distributed, though not very common. 



Rodentia. 



The homely Scmrus palmarum is the only species of squirrels to be met 

 with, both about habitations and in the Kundu jungles. 



The ground is claimed by the desert Jerboa-rat, which Jerclon identified 

 with (No. 171) Gerbillus* erytlirourus, Gray.f I do not think that 

 there is any other animal equally common throughout Kachh, as is this rat ; 

 it does of course not frequent stony and hilly ground, but is most abundant 

 in the sandy districts between bushes, as well as between fields and on grassy 

 plains ; its barrows sometimes extent over hundreds of square feet without 

 interruption. The size and colour of Kachh specimens perfectly tallies with 

 Jerdon's description. Near habitations it usually comes out only in the 

 morning and evening to feed, but far away from them it is to be seen out of 

 its hole at all hours of the day. As a rule, it feeds, I believe, on roots of 

 various herbaceous plants, and more rarely on seeds. 



I hardly need to mention the occurrence of the brown rat (Mus deeu- 

 manus) and of the common Indian mouse (M. urbanus). 



Systrix leucura is the common porcupine of the country ; it is usually 

 found on higher undulating desert ground, thinly covered with jungle, or 

 on more elevated plateaus where brushwood occurs. 



Lepus rujicaudatus is very abundant throughout Kachh. There is, (at 

 least in younger specimens) a conspicuous white band from the nostril 

 through the eye ; the ears are lined internally with dull white, and externally 

 towards the tips with blackish brown or black ; the tail has in the young 

 only a slight rufous tinge above. 



Ungulata. 



Epulis onager, the wild ass, is entirely confined to the most uninhabita- 

 ble and desert parts of the country near the Raim, or the Rann itself with its 

 small islands. I have seen it on two or three occasions in crossing the Rann, 

 but an approach to it even within half a mile was out of question. 



Bus indicus is generally distributed, and fine sport may be had in suit- 

 able, temporarily swampy, localities, mostly near the Rami. Occasionally, 



* Most naturalists accept for the Africo-Asiatic species the name Meriones. 

 f Comp. Jerdon, Mamm. Appendix, p. III. 



